Leeroy Stagger - Strange Attractor [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“I have a strange attraction to this single ‘Strange Attractor.’

The accompanying video is engaging in a peculiar sort of way, and the vocal performance, laid over the top of a steady rock beat, has an old school rock vibe that conjures thoughts of the 80s.

Then there is a presence about Leeroy Stagger that hooked me and whispers to my brain ... “Pay Attention, this guy is on the verge of breaking out into another realm which makes this song feel like an archway to something even bigger.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Ava Heatley - Shitty Tattoo [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Reminds me of a power ballad of the 90s, from artists like Joan Osborne.

Lyrically ‘Shitty Tattoo’ sings out as the rallying cry of generation that has hit the wall between hope, energy and homesick nostalgia, but this song is well-written enough to pull emotion from anyone who has ever made a bad decision or three. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Ben Lorentzen - All Knives Out [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Parts of the vocals reminded me of Elton John while other parts show influence from songwriters like Tom Waits. Then there is the 70s influenced melody that at times made me think of the Eagles. What I am saying is there are a lot of good musical influences that have came together to make Ben Lorentzen a talented artist full of surprises .... vocally, musically, and lyrically.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

All Knives Out by "SONGS & WHISPERS", released 05 July 2019 I was talking to God I was talking to God I was whispering the word And heard the saddest of songs I was talking to the walls I was talking to the floor And then a shiver through the ages found a pathway to my door: "Say, will this day be the day, say...."

Headphone - Ready Steady Run [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Sometimes you need to hear a gritty rock song played the traditional way to feel the heart of what music is all about.

Headphone makes it easy to escape the manufactured world of looped beats and recycled melodies to give us ‘Ready Steady Run,’ a rock jam in every sense of the word.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Run River North - Wake Up [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“The merry-go-round of life can either grind you down, or you can take heart in the rhythm and enjoy the ride. Run River North is suggesting we all do the latter with their new single.

Catchy and infectious, this sing-song chorus obviously carries a double meaning for those who dive in deep, but others will simply be happy to bounce to the groove and carry on about their day. Perhaps those individuals have already gotten their ‘Wake Up’ call.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Raised on TV - Soul on Fire [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“There is some great irony that this tune, about the fantasy of escaping the world by throwing your phone out the window, carries a retro rock sound from the 80s, which is perhaps the last decade when society wasn’t fixated on their phones.

Great old school rock melody and vocals.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Picsel - Loggerheads [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“It has been a long while since I’ve heard a true Indie Rock song with that carefree IDGAF spirit. The kind of song that is real and true and seems to say, “Hey Man I don’t really care what you think about me, because this is my life and my feelings and my viewpoint and I’m going to sing about all of them without regard to commercial viability or radio airplay.

That is not to say Picsel does not have anything meaningful or worthwhile to say, it just means they are not pandering to conformity, and that is what Rock Music was built upon. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Zoe Zobrist - Guns [Music Video Reviews]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Classic sultry rock vocals atop an energetic melody.

Little by little rock seems to be crawling out from the shadows once again and artists such as Zoe Zobrist are leading the way.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Freedom Fry - Me and Bonnie [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Funky and trippy, Freedom Fry continues to sneak attack me in the best of ways with surprising lyric progressions and an energetic spirit that makes all of their music feel alive.

The intelligent quirkiness of this band reminds me of The Presidents Of The United States Of America.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

DAVIS - Alright [Review]

“This is a single with chill summer vibes.

I have no idea the chemical state of DAVIS while writing this one, but if you’ve ever had a poolside conversation with someone amid a huge cloud of green smoke, then listening to this song will feel a whole lot like that conversation.

Enjoy and remember ... everything will be ‘Alright.’”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

CIVILIANA - Void [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“The hammering bass-line of the melody holds the ‘Void’ together, but above that rings a pure rock song complete with thriving guitars and charged vocals that few too songs that call themselves Rock today possess.

CIVILIANA gives us a single that is rock in spirit and not name only. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Scarlet Drive - Just Think That You're Cute [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Delivered with the high-energy of No Doubt before Gwen Stefani went off to solo pop stardom, ‘I Just Think That You’re Cute’ is rife with literary references to match that uptempo ska sound. I imagine English majors singing along in coffee shops the world over, but this single is a fun groove for anyone that likes a lively tune.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

The Coronas - Find the Water [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Some singles strike an immediate chord that puts you on high alert before the lyrics truly sink in.

In the true spirit of a well-written Indie Rock song, ‘Find The Water’ is the kind of song that turns the gears and wheels within and makes you think not only long after the last note, but on each and every other listen afterward.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Freedom Fry - The Sun is Gonna Shine On You [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“With a sound that leans all the way back to the 70s, and lyrics that work well (despite often seeming random until the next line or two,) I found myself captivated through several listens.

There is something unique and strange and alluring here that is very hard to pin down, but ‘The Sun Is Gonna Shine On You’ is the kind of song that you can listen to over and over again and never get bored.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

In Their Thousands - Sit and Breathe [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Irish band, In Their Thousands offers a vocal delivery that slices like a surgeon’s scalpel from that first high hard note, but the deepest cut (sorry Sheryl Crow) on this one comes with the writing.

Lyrically, ‘Sit and Breathe’ delivers operating room precision and life saving emotions. That might sound like hyperbole, but a well crafted song, performed with genuine emotion can break through and be a guiding light for those whom it speaks to.

’Sit and Breathe’ is just such a song.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Bengal Lancers - Last Orders [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“The melody lands with you first. Then the vocals arrive bringing that extra emotion. And finally the lyric settle in conjuring all kids of thoughts as you digest their meaning .

Together, these three components compliment each other to infuse this single with emotion and energy.

Pure Indie Rock emotion! ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Desert Weather - Still in My Head [Review]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

“A nice blend of punk and rock vocals gives this single a well-rounded sound. Lyrically, I dug in to find emotions ‘Still in My Head,’ which is exactly what songs are supposed to do.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Delagoon - Gum [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Bordering on Punk, both in sound and sensibilities, ‘Gum’ bursts the bubble on fun in this well-written diatribe.

Delagoon is fed up and they want the world to know it!”

— Travis Erwin (La On Lock Blogger}

Jack River - Adolescent [Music Video Review]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

“Conjuring thoughts of Courtney Love and Gwen Stefani, circa No Doubt, Aussie sensation, Jack River, rides roughshod with this in-your-face rock anthem.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

The Alternate Routes - Tonight [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Put down the glowing cellphone and grab an an old-fashioned Bic lighter for this classic rock ballad. Hold the flame high and sway to the melancholy beat until you burn your thumb because then, and only then will you feel something other than the emotional tug in your heart this single will instill in you.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)